Knoblauch Moves to Yankee Bench

Shane Spencer will be the starting left fielder for the New York Yankees for at least the next several games, relegating the slumping Chuck Knoblauch to the bench.

“I talked to Knobby on Saturday about playing Spencer more,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said. “I asked him to try to understand what I’m trying to do. He didn’t like it, and I don’t expect him to like it.”

Milwaukee Brewer pitcher Ben Sheets, winless since the All-Star game, was put on the disabled list because of tendinitis in his right rotator cuff.

Sheets, the 10th Milwaukee player on the disabled list, is 0-4 with a 8.90 earned-run average in five starts since the All-Star break and hasn’t pitched since Aug. 5.

Left fielder Terrence Long and the Oakland Athletics agreed to an $11.6-million, four-year contract extension through 2005.

Long, 25, who also received a $700,000 signing bonus, finished second to Seattle reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki in voting for American League rookie of the year last season after hitting .288 with 18 home runs and 80 runs batted in.

Although his team is in last place, Tony Muser will be back to manage the Kansas City Royals in 2002, owner David Glass told the Kansas City Star. . . . The Florida Marlins hired former Tampa Bay Devil Ray manager Larry Rothschild as a consultant. Rothschild was fired by Tampa Bay on April 18. . . . The San Diego Padres purchased the contract of pitcher Jeremy Fikac from double-A Mobile and sent pitcher Rodney Myers outright to triple-A Portland. . . . Philadelphia Phillie reliever Dennis Cook rejoined the team after spending the last two weeks with his wife, Tammy, who was experiencing problems with her pregnancy and recently had a miscarriage. . . . The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles have rescheduled a rained-out game for Sept. 15 at Camden Yards.